Using SHM audio files
Found in: Accompaniment, Playing-Based Methodology
Cheri S., Utah
Who makes active use of SM audio in teaching and/or assignments? I’ve been pretty weak on this and could use some ideas–not only what learning activities to do but how to routinize it, how to train students so they know how to regularly use the audio at home.
Simpedia had a couple of good ideas: using class time to train students on how to listen for the beats and start playing with the beginning of the song; and teaching students how to play along with accompaniment songs and keep going through mistakes.
What else do you do? How do you help students be able to independently use the audio as a learning tool at home, the same way they do the video?
Stephen R., California
I actively use the audios. Important for all the accompaniments, particularly with non-singing families. It also functions as a metronome so students can fine tune the rhythm with the blues and classical pieces. I’ve been using the Rhythm audio files more especially for ties, dotted notes, and rests at the end. Another use of the audio is to improvise over it: try this with Honey Dew (just the piano track), Jackson Blues or Bishop Street Blues.
The other thing is explaining to students about the “jumping in” process with songs like Star Spangled Banner, so they don’t get frustrated. Pause if you get off the singer and “jump” into playing on the next most convenient lyric or chord.
Cheri S., Utah
How do you help them learn to be successful playing along with Foundation songs? (like if they can’t keep up at first, or if their rhythm/style isn’t exactly the same).
Stephen R., California
Slow speeds first and also listen to it first. If it’s a fast song, students may need lots of time before attempting to play to the audio.
Unmani U., Australia
LH and RH separately with the audio. Helps them feel part of the “band” with single thought processes.
Joanne D., Australia
One way to get your students to play in time is to play along with them (an octave higher). I think they listen more attentively to what’s happening on the piano than from a speaker.
Gordon Harvey, Australia
I sometimes have students play with the audio in the lesson. I might do so if the student is a little uneven. I sometimes do it when the student is still a bit hesitant. The instruction is, “Whatever happens, don’t stop! If you fall in a heap, listen for somewhere where you can jump back in”. Then as they play I’m calling out encouragement . When they stumble, I’m yelling “keep going!”. If they collapse, I go “here comes the next change, come back in!”. It’s a fun challenge that really gets them focused. If we choose the right piece at the right time, they can hear themselves getting tighter each time, and finding more jump-in points.
It’s important to get the volume of the backing just right, so they can hear themselves and the backing equally well. That usually means the backing is pretty loud.
Get them to do it the same way at home. Have them treat it as a game and have their expectations be realistic. I say, “You know how we’re always saying to go slow, control the events, and stop when you need to? Well, for this exercise we’re throwing all that out the window and blasting through no matter what! It’ll probably sound terrible, but you’ll get better real quick!” Neil used to do a version of this which he described as a runaway bulldozer in a field of daisies. Did it stop and think, “oops, I missed a daisy back there. I’d better go back”? No! It just kept going!
Terah W., Kansas
I love verbal phrases that stick and have great ‘footage’! Makes a good reference point to keep coming back to in any given conversation!
Unmani U., Australia
I’ve been always saying ‘catch the next bus’ which made a student laugh this week but I might swap to bulldozers.